American Me

1992
R
2h 5m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

William Forsythe, Edward James Olmos, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in American Me (1992)

A Mexican-American Mafia kingpin is released from prison, falls in love for the first time, and grows introspective about his gangster lifestyle.A Mexican-American Mafia kingpin is released from prison, falls in love for the first time, and grows introspective about his gangster lifestyle.A Mexican-American Mafia kingpin is released from prison, falls in love for the first time, and grows introspective about his gangster lifestyle.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 2 nominations

Trivia
Two of the most dangerous street gangs of East L.A., Il Grande Hazard and MC Forceros, called a truce to allow director Edward James Olmos to shoot the movie on their turfs.

Goofs
The lingo/street talk many of the gang members use didn't start to be used until the late '70s or early '80s.

Quotes
Montoya Santana: I hear Little Puppet's name is on a piece of paper, ese.
J.D.: I want you to cosign it.
Montoya Santana: I'm taking it off, ese.
J.D.: That punk got you kicked back in the hole, set us all back. Now he's running around talking loud shit about how he wants out of La Eme. His number's up, homes.
Montoya Santana: I said I'm taking it off, ese.
J.D.: What's gonna happen is gonna happen. Don't try to stop it. You understand me? I'm asking you, carnal.
Montoya Santana: Is that where it's gotten to, ese?
J.D.: Brothers are talking about you.
Montoya Santana: What are they saying, ese?
J.D.: They're saying that you're not showing them anything.
Montoya Santana: You know, a long time ago, two best homeboys, two kids, were thrown into juvie. They were scared, and they thought they had to do something to prove themselves. And they did what they had to do. They thought they were doing it to gain respect for their people, to show the world that no one could take their class from them. No one had to take it from us, ese. Whatever we had... we gave it away. Take care of yourself, carnal.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: My Cousin Vinny/Article 99/American Me/The Lawnmower Man/Shakes the Clown/Daughters of the Dust (1992)

Soundtracks
El Gaban
Arrangement by Alfredo Lopez, Abel Rocha, Fernando Nataren
Performed by Quetzlcoatl

User reviews64

Review

Featured review

the greatest description of gang and prison life

this had the right amount of story, realism, and a great ending. people say it's too violent, but it's a prison movie it has to be violent, because prison is not sweet. Edward James Olmos is not only brave for doing this movie with actual prisoners and gang members, but he was great at depicting what happens to people when they get involved in a gang and do not do what the gang leader says, because when they tell you to kill someone, that person is going to get killed. either he goes down by your hands, or you end up getting killed with him. one of my favorite movies, i give it a 10/10